First and Foremost:
An Illustrated History of Carrier Air Wing One

Part 1: 1934-1957
By Douglas Olson & Angelo Romano
Model Publishing, ©2006
ISBN 88-89392-01-0
Softbound, 136 Pages
Available from Model Publishing for EUR 23.50

By Chris Banyai-Riepl

When I read the first NAVA title (Naval Air Weapons Meet 1956-1959) from Model Publishing, I couldn’t wait for the next subject to come out. The quality of printing and photographs was outstanding, and I had hoped that they would continue that line with equally impressive books on interesting subjects. Two years later, the second book has arrived, and those hopes are more than upheld. This new book is the first in a series covering the history of Carrier Air Wing One. The full series will comprise four books, with the next three covering 1957-1973, 1974-1991, and 1991 to present, respectively. This title starts the story off with the origins of CAW-1 in 1934.

I could summarize the history of CAW-1 as presented in this book, but I feel it would be better for you to read it from the original, as the text is that good. It is very detailed and covers both general organizational information and operational history. The operational history is quite fascinating as it covers two wars (World War Two and Korea), with plenty of information on both.

What is immediately noticeable upon flipping through the pages, though, are the copious clear photographs. These are nicely printed and will provide an incredible reference for the modeler and historian alike. From the early yellow-winged biplanes to the supersonic gray and white jets, these photos will definitely tweak interest in naval aircraft. While most of the pre-war photos are black and white, there are some color photos, and of course the color increases as the book progresses. As if that were not enough, there are also over 60 color illustrations of the aircraft of CAW-1, along with a 2-page spread of unit insignia. The photos and illustrations alone make this book well worth having.

When it is all put together, the text, the photos, and the illustrations, the result is an incredible reference that stands solidly by itself. When one realizes that this is just the first part it a quartet of books on CAW-1, it won’t take long to get one for your bookshelf. If you are at all interested in naval aviation, this is a book that you must have. My thanks to Model Publishing for the review copy.